DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary final rule; adjustment of specifications.

Effective February 12, 2015, through December 31, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This action adjusts 2015 annual catch limits for the Atlantic herring fishery to account for the underharvest of herring catch in 2013. The herring fishery caught less than its allocated catch in all herring management areas in 2013. As a result, this action adds unharvested 2013 catch to the 2015 herring catch limits, equal to ten percent of the allocated 2013 annual catch limit for each area. While the annual catch limit for each area increases, the total annual catch limit for the herring fishery will not increase under this action. This will ensure that the carryover pounds do not cause overfishing of the herring resource in 2015. This action is necessary to ensure that NMFS accounts for herring catch consistent with the requirements of the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; inseason trip limit adjustment.

This action is effective January 20, 2015, through April 30, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This action reduces the possession limit for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder for Northeast multispecies common pool vessels for the remainder of the 2014 fishing year. Federal regulations allow NMFS to adjust the trip limit, if necessary, to help ensure that a common pool quota is not exceeded. The common pool has caught 79 percent of its Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder quota. This action is intended to prevent the overharvest of the common pool's 2014 fishing year allocation of Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Final rule.

This final rule is effective on January 14, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS has approved Framework Adjustment 52 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This final rule contains two modifications to the current windowpane flounder accountability measures. First, the size of the accountability measure gear-restricted areas can be reduced if we determine that improvements in windowpane flounder stock health occurred despite the catch limits being exceeded. Second, the duration of the accountability measure can be shortened if we determine that an overage of the catch limit did not occur in the year following the overage. This action allows us to implement accountability measures based on more current survey and catch data and increases fishing opportunities for the groundfish fishery while still preventing overfishing.

NMFS is announcing revised commercial quotas and recreational harvest limits for the 2015 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries, as well as the commercial summer flounder state quotas for fishing year 2015. This is necessary to incorporate adjustments to the quotas due to the suspension of the Research Set-Aside program, implement an accountability measure for the commercial black sea bass fishery, and, for summer flounder state quotas, account for any previously unaccounted for overages from fishing year 2013 and any known overages to date from fishing year 2014. The intent of this action is to modify the established harvest levels to ensure that these species are not overfished or subject to overfishing in 2015.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule, correction; extension of expiration date.

Effective December 29, 2014, until May 12, 2015, except for amendatory instruction 2 of this rule, which expires on April 30, 2015. The expiration dates in amendatory instructions 2, 4a and c, and 5 through 12, published in FR Rule Doc. No. 2014-26844, November 13, 2014, at 79 FR 67362, for the amendments to §§ 648.2, 648.14, 648.80, 648.81, 648.82, 648.85, 648.86, 648.87, 648.88, and 648.89, respectively, are extended until May 12, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This document makes corrections to the Gulf of Maine cod interim regulations published in the Federal Register on November 13, 2014. This notice allows gillnet vessels to switch their designation as either a Day or Trip gillnet vessel, an opportunity that was inadvertently not provided in the original interim action. This notice also makes several corrections and clarifications, including where the Gulf of Maine cod trip limit applies, to ensure consistency with measures implemented in the interim action. In this document, we extend the expiration date of certain temporary amendments.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; quota transfer.

Effective December 18, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS announces that the State of Maine is transferring a portion of its 2014 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of Connecticut. NMFS is adjusting the quotas and announcing the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Final rule.

Effective December 4, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS implements final regulations to establish a process for setting river herring (alewife and blueback) and shad (American and hickory) catch caps for the herring fishery. This action also sets these catch caps for the 2014 and 2015 fishing years. The river herring and shad caps in the herring fishery will limit how much of these species will be caught in the herring fishery. This action will allow the New England Fishery Management Council to set river herring and shad catch caps and associated measures in future years through specifications or frameworks, whichever is appropriate. The measures in this action are a positive step in conservation efforts for river herring and shad.

2014-12-02; vol. 79 # 231 - Tuesday, December 2, 2014

79 FR 71339 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for the State of New Jersey

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; closure.

Effective 0001 hours, November 29, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS announces that the 2014 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of New Jersey has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in New Jersey for the remainder of calendar year 2014, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notification to advise New Jersey that the quota has been harvested, and to advise Federal vessel and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in New Jersey.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; quota transfer.

Effective November 21, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS announces that the State of New Jersey is transferring a portion of its 2014 commercial bluefish quota to the State of Rhode Island. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; interim action; request for comments.

Effective November 13, 2014, until May 12, 2015. Comments must be received by December 13, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This temporary rule implements commercial and recreational fishery management measure changes for Gulf of Maine cod protection in response to a recent updated assessment of the status of this severely depleted stock. The measures of this interim rule are necessary to reduce fishing mortality on GOM cod and to provide additional stock and spawning protection. The intended effect of these interim measures are to decrease fishing year 2014 catch so that overfishing is reduced and protect the stock until more permanent measures can be developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; emergency action.

Effective November 12, 2014, through May 11, 2015. Comments must be received by December 12, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This action implements new stock status determination criteria for Gulf of Maine (GOM) haddock and increases the associated GOM haddock catch limits for the remainder of fishing year 2014 based on the most recent and best available scientific information. This action is intended to provide additional commercial fishing opportunities for GOM haddock and other healthy groundfish stocks.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

Effective November 3, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS transfers quota to the 2014 butterfish domestic annual harvest allocation from the butterfish mortality cap on the longfin squid fishery in order to prevent an overage of the directed butterfish fishery. This action complies with the 2014 specifications and management measures for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; quota transfer.

Effective November 3, 2014 through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS announces that the State of Florida is transferring a portion of its 2014 commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Final rule.

Effective November 1, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS issues final specifications for the commercial tilefish fishery for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 fishing years. This action establishes the acceptable biological catch, annual catch limit, total allowable landings, and harvest allocations for the individual fishing quota and incidental fishery components of the commercial tilefish fishery. The intent of this action is to establish allowable harvest levels and other management measures to prevent overfishing while allowing optimum yield, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; directed fishery closure.

Effective 0001 hr local time, October 26, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS is closing the directed herring fishery in management Area 1A, because it projects that 92 percent of the 2014 catch limit for that area will have been caught by the effective date of this action. This action is necessary to comply with the regulations implementing the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan and is intended to prevent excess harvest in Area 1A.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary final rule; adjustment to specifications.

Effective October 23, 2014, through April 30, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

Based on the final Northeast multispecies sector rosters, we are adjusting the fishing year 2014 specification of annual catch limits for commercial groundfish vessels, as well as sector annual catch entitlements for groundfish stocks by adding carried over catch from fishing year 2013 and reducing quotas for some stocks by the amount of overages exceeding their limits in fishing year 2013, among other adjustments. This revision to fishing year 2014 catch levels is necessary to account for changes in the number of participants electing to fish in sectors.

This is a list of United States Code sections, Statutes at Large, Public Laws, and Presidential Documents, which provide rulemaking authority for this CFR Part.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary final rule; adjustment of specifications.

Effective February 12, 2015, through December 31, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This action adjusts 2015 annual catch limits for the Atlantic herring fishery to account for the underharvest of herring catch in 2013. The herring fishery caught less than its allocated catch in all herring management areas in 2013. As a result, this action adds unharvested 2013 catch to the 2015 herring catch limits, equal to ten percent of the allocated 2013 annual catch limit for each area. While the annual catch limit for each area increases, the total annual catch limit for the herring fishery will not increase under this action. This will ensure that the carryover pounds do not cause overfishing of the herring resource in 2015. This action is necessary to ensure that NMFS accounts for herring catch consistent with the requirements of the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Proposed rule; request for comments.

Comments must be received on or before February 20, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS proposes regulations to implement the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology Omnibus Amendment developed by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils. This amendment was developed, in part, to respond to a remand by the U.S. District of Columbia Court of Appeals decision in Oceana v. Locke. The amendment also adds various measures to improve and expand on the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology previously in place. The proposed measures include: A new prioritization process for allocation of observers if agency funding is insufficient; bycatch reporting and monitoring mechanisms; analytical techniques and allocation of at-sea fisheries observers; a performance standard; a review and reporting process; framework adjustment and annual specifications provisions; and provisions for industry-funded observers and observer set-aside programs. In addition to responding to the DC Court of Appeals remand, this action is necessary to re-establish and improve the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology for all 13 Greater Atlantic Region Fishery Management Plans, as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, after the previous methodology was vacated by the 2011 Court order.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; inseason trip limit adjustment.

This action is effective January 20, 2015, through April 30, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This action reduces the possession limit for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder for Northeast multispecies common pool vessels for the remainder of the 2014 fishing year. Federal regulations allow NMFS to adjust the trip limit, if necessary, to help ensure that a common pool quota is not exceeded. The common pool has caught 79 percent of its Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder quota. This action is intended to prevent the overharvest of the common pool's 2014 fishing year allocation of Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Final rule.

This final rule is effective on January 14, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS has approved Framework Adjustment 52 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This final rule contains two modifications to the current windowpane flounder accountability measures. First, the size of the accountability measure gear-restricted areas can be reduced if we determine that improvements in windowpane flounder stock health occurred despite the catch limits being exceeded. Second, the duration of the accountability measure can be shortened if we determine that an overage of the catch limit did not occur in the year following the overage. This action allows us to implement accountability measures based on more current survey and catch data and increases fishing opportunities for the groundfish fishery while still preventing overfishing.

NMFS is announcing revised commercial quotas and recreational harvest limits for the 2015 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries, as well as the commercial summer flounder state quotas for fishing year 2015. This is necessary to incorporate adjustments to the quotas due to the suspension of the Research Set-Aside program, implement an accountability measure for the commercial black sea bass fishery, and, for summer flounder state quotas, account for any previously unaccounted for overages from fishing year 2013 and any known overages to date from fishing year 2014. The intent of this action is to modify the established harvest levels to ensure that these species are not overfished or subject to overfishing in 2015.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule, correction; extension of expiration date.

Effective December 29, 2014, until May 12, 2015, except for amendatory instruction 2 of this rule, which expires on April 30, 2015. The expiration dates in amendatory instructions 2, 4a and c, and 5 through 12, published in FR Rule Doc. No. 2014-26844, November 13, 2014, at 79 FR 67362, for the amendments to §§ 648.2, 648.14, 648.80, 648.81, 648.82, 648.85, 648.86, 648.87, 648.88, and 648.89, respectively, are extended until May 12, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This document makes corrections to the Gulf of Maine cod interim regulations published in the Federal Register on November 13, 2014. This notice allows gillnet vessels to switch their designation as either a Day or Trip gillnet vessel, an opportunity that was inadvertently not provided in the original interim action. This notice also makes several corrections and clarifications, including where the Gulf of Maine cod trip limit applies, to ensure consistency with measures implemented in the interim action. In this document, we extend the expiration date of certain temporary amendments.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Proposed rule; request for comments.

Comments must be received by 5 p.m. local time, on January 28, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Framework Adjustment 8 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. This action would allow the black sea bass recreational fishery to begin on May 15 of each year, instead of May 19, to provide additional fishing opportunities earlier in the year.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; quota transfer.

Effective December 18, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS announces that the State of Maine is transferring a portion of its 2014 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of Connecticut. NMFS is adjusting the quotas and announcing the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils have submitted an Omnibus Amendment to the Fishery Management Plans of the Northeastern U.S. to establish a Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology, incorporating a draft Environmental Assessment and preliminary Regulatory Impact Review, for review and approval by the Secretary of Commerce, and is requesting comments from the public. The Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology Omnibus Amendment would establish a standardized bycatch reporting methodology for all 13 Fishery Management Plans in the region, as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The proposed measures include: Bycatch reporting and monitoring mechanisms; analytical techniques and allocation of at-sea fisheries observers; a standardized bycatch reporting methodology performance standard; a review and reporting process; framework adjustment and annual specifications provisions; a prioritization process; and provisions for industry-funded observers and observer set-aside programs.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Final rule.

Effective December 4, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS implements final regulations to establish a process for setting river herring (alewife and blueback) and shad (American and hickory) catch caps for the herring fishery. This action also sets these catch caps for the 2014 and 2015 fishing years. The river herring and shad caps in the herring fishery will limit how much of these species will be caught in the herring fishery. This action will allow the New England Fishery Management Council to set river herring and shad catch caps and associated measures in future years through specifications or frameworks, whichever is appropriate. The measures in this action are a positive step in conservation efforts for river herring and shad.

2014-12-02; vol. 79 # 231 - Tuesday, December 2, 2014

79 FR 71339 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for the State of New Jersey

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; closure.

Effective 0001 hours, November 29, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS announces that the 2014 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of New Jersey has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in New Jersey for the remainder of calendar year 2014, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notification to advise New Jersey that the quota has been harvested, and to advise Federal vessel and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in New Jersey.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; quota transfer.

Effective November 21, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS announces that the State of New Jersey is transferring a portion of its 2014 commercial bluefish quota to the State of Rhode Island. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Proposed rule; request for comments.

Comments must be received by December 2, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

Framework Adjustment 52 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan proposes two modifications to the windowpane flounder accountability measures. First, the size of the accountability measure gear restricted areas could be reduced if NMFS determines that improvements in windowpane flounder stock health occurred despite the catch limits being exceeded. Second, the duration of the accountability measure could be shortened if NMFS determines that an overage of the catch limit did not occur the previous fishing year. The proposed measures would allow NMFS to implement accountability measures based on more current survey and catch data. This proposed action is intended to increase fishing opportunities for the groundfish fishery while still preventing overfishing.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; interim action; request for comments.

Effective November 13, 2014, until May 12, 2015. Comments must be received by December 13, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This temporary rule implements commercial and recreational fishery management measure changes for Gulf of Maine cod protection in response to a recent updated assessment of the status of this severely depleted stock. The measures of this interim rule are necessary to reduce fishing mortality on GOM cod and to provide additional stock and spawning protection. The intended effect of these interim measures are to decrease fishing year 2014 catch so that overfishing is reduced and protect the stock until more permanent measures can be developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; emergency action.

Effective November 12, 2014, through May 11, 2015. Comments must be received by December 12, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

This action implements new stock status determination criteria for Gulf of Maine (GOM) haddock and increases the associated GOM haddock catch limits for the remainder of fishing year 2014 based on the most recent and best available scientific information. This action is intended to provide additional commercial fishing opportunities for GOM haddock and other healthy groundfish stocks.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

Effective November 3, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS transfers quota to the 2014 butterfish domestic annual harvest allocation from the butterfish mortality cap on the longfin squid fishery in order to prevent an overage of the directed butterfish fishery. This action complies with the 2014 specifications and management measures for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; quota transfer.

Effective November 3, 2014 through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS announces that the State of Florida is transferring a portion of its 2014 commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Final rule.

Effective November 1, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS issues final specifications for the commercial tilefish fishery for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 fishing years. This action establishes the acceptable biological catch, annual catch limit, total allowable landings, and harvest allocations for the individual fishing quota and incidental fishery components of the commercial tilefish fishery. The intent of this action is to establish allowable harvest levels and other management measures to prevent overfishing while allowing optimum yield, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary rule; directed fishery closure.

Effective 0001 hr local time, October 26, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS is closing the directed herring fishery in management Area 1A, because it projects that 92 percent of the 2014 catch limit for that area will have been caught by the effective date of this action. This action is necessary to comply with the regulations implementing the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan and is intended to prevent excess harvest in Area 1A.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Temporary final rule; adjustment to specifications.

Effective October 23, 2014, through April 30, 2015.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

Based on the final Northeast multispecies sector rosters, we are adjusting the fishing year 2014 specification of annual catch limits for commercial groundfish vessels, as well as sector annual catch entitlements for groundfish stocks by adding carried over catch from fishing year 2013 and reducing quotas for some stocks by the amount of overages exceeding their limits in fishing year 2013, among other adjustments. This revision to fishing year 2014 catch levels is necessary to account for changes in the number of participants electing to fish in sectors.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

The comment period for the proposed rule published August 7, 2014 (79 FR 46233), is reopened. Public comment must be received by October 17, 2014.

50 CFR Part 648

Summary

NMFS reopens the comment period on the proposed rule to implement an information collection program for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fishery that published on August 7, 2014. The original comment period closed on September 8, 2014. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council requested the comment period be reopened to allow for additional public comment through October 17, 2014, to be submitted after this proposed action is discussed at the upcoming Council meeting.